Among the global wealthy class (HNWIs and UHNWIs), Hermès is the ultimate choice for old-money elites, core luxury collectors and investment-oriented affluents, while Chanel wins broader favor among new wealth, cross-age high-net-worth groups and female luxury consumers. This conclusion is supported by authoritative data from Brand Finance, Rebag and global luxury consumption research reports in 2025, and the two brands occupy distinct high-end luxury track with different core appeal, forming a "trophy asset vs. lifestyle symbol" dual pattern in the wealthy circle.

Hermès has become the benchmark of "true luxury" in the eyes of the top wealthy by virtue of its extreme exclusivity, asset-level value retention and understated old-money temperament. According to Rebag’s 2025 Clair Report, Hermès reclaimed the top spot in the global luxury resale market with an average value retention rate of 138%, a year-on-year increase of 38%. Its iconic Birkin and Kelly bags are far more than fashion accessories—since 2015, their retail prices have risen by 43%, while resale values have surged by 92%, and a 1984 Jane Birkin prototype was even sold at Sotheby’s Paris for over $10 million in 2025, setting a record for luxury handbag transactions. The brand’s strict allocation system, multi-year waitlists for classic bags and exclusive rare leather customization services make owning Hermès a "rite of passage" for UHNWIs, which is a direct symbol of top social status that money alone cannot easily obtain. In addition, Hermès’ full-chain control of craftsmanship—each Birkin is handcrafted by a single artisan for 18-24 hours, and the brand owns more than 50 top leather tanneries—further consolidates its status as a "craftsman luxury brand" favored by legacy wealth. Data from Attain also shows that consumers over 55 with the highest asset levels have the strongest affinity for Hermès, regarding it as a core collection for intergenerational wealth inheritance. In the Chinese market, Hermès also holds a sacred position in the top wealthy circle, with its strict store control and scarce supply making its classic bags a "hard currency" in the luxury investment field.

Chanel, as the world’s second most valuable luxury brand with a brand value of $37.9 billion (Brand Finance 2025, a year-on-year increase of 45%), wins the broader favor of the wealthy with its balanced exclusivity and accessibility, rich product ecosystem and strong emotional resonanceBrand Finance. Different from Hermès’ extreme scarcity, Chanel maintains brand premium through annual price increases and controlled production of classic styles, but avoids the high acquisition friction of Hermès’ waitlist and allocation system, making it the first choice for new wealth who pursue immediate luxury experience. Its product line covers high fashion, handbags, perfume, beauty and jewelry, from $300 lipsticks to $50,000 couture, allowing wealthy consumers to engage with the brand at multiple price points, forming a full-scenario luxury lifestyle coverage. In the core handbag category, Chanel’s 2025 new 25 handbag and classic Classic Flap have high market popularity, with the former driving a 120% sales growth of the spring and summer series by virtue of practical design and celebrity endorsement, and the latter maintaining a stable secondary market circulation rate. In terms of consumer groups, Chanel is the absolute favorite of high-net-worth women, and its N°5 perfume, as a cultural symbol of luxury, has become a must-have in the perfume cabinet of the wealthy. Meanwhile, Chanel’s savvy digital marketing and celebrity cooperation strategy make it popular among young new wealth (25-40 years old), filling the gap of Hermès in the young wealthy circle. In the global market share, Chanel also leads Hermès with 5%-6% (Hermès 4%-5%), and its brand influence is more extensive in the cross-regional wealthy circle.

The choice between Hermès and Chanel by the wealthy essentially reflects two different luxury consumption logic. Hermès is positioned as a luxury investment asset—its products have the characteristics of anti-inflation, appreciation and strong liquidity, which is in line with the demand of the top wealthy for "wealth preservation and appreciation" and "insider status symbol". Its logo-free design and understated style are highly consistent with the old-money aesthetic of "showing wealth without flaunting it". Chanel, on the other hand, is a luxury lifestyle product—its classic design and strong brand recognition make it a perfect social currency for the wealthy to show taste and identity, and its diversified product system meets the daily consumption and occasion-based use needs of the wealthy. In regional preferences, Hermès is more favored by the European and American old-money elites and the top wealthy in the Asia-Pacific region, while Chanel has a more balanced appeal in the global wealthy circle, especially in the Chinese and Southeast Asian new wealth markets.

In summary, there is no absolute "more favored" between Hermès and Chanel in the wealthy circle, but a division of "core choice of top wealth" and "universal choice of mass wealth". Hermès is the irreplaceable trophy brand for the UHNWIs who pursue scarcity, investment value and old-money temperament; Chanel is the first choice for the broader high-net-worth groups who value brand resonance, lifestyle matching and accessible luxury experience. The two brands together define the two core dimensions of high-end luxury consumption in the wealthy circle: asset attribute and emotional attribute.